The Richmond Times-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/18HF2Xi) reports that Friday marks 25 years since the lottery started with its first game - a $1 scratch ticket called Match 3 with a top prize of $5,000.

The lottery has grown since to include more than 50 games at any one time - from dozens of scratchers to multimillion-dollar jackpots.

Virginia Lottery executive director Paula Otto says it takes a lot bigger prize to set off a jackpot frenzy today than it did in 1988. Wednesday's Powerball drawing was worth about $400 million, and Friday's Mega Millions is $145 million.

The games have created more than 420 millionaires, before taxes. In all, players have won more than $15 billion.